Link's Ascension
by manga ranga
Summary: Part 3 of 3, explores the various clans of Ikana and how they live in Termina. A few years have passed since Link defeated Majora, however a new threat is looming over Hyrule in his absence. In order to defeat it, he must unveil the mysteries of the Ikana in order to save his homeland from the threat of a demon from Termina.
1. Prologue

Some may find this tale familiar as I have completely rewritten it to be... more in canon with Legend of Zelda.

The story takes place in both Hyrule and Termina.

Please note that the clans of Ikana are to be regarded as the Termina equivalent of mix between the Dark Interlopers and Twili from Hyrule.

Timeline wise this takes place a few years after Majora's Mask, but eras before the events of Twilight Princess.

* * *

_Our tale began long ago, before Majora's Mask tried to throw the moon into Termina…_

_Back in the era of arcana, where Termina had mastered all manner of sorcery and magic._

_The Terminans divided into the commoners and the magically gifted, the Ikana._

_The Ikana, with their knowledge of light, built their kingdom in the eastern valley__._

_However as their wisdom grew they also became entwined with an obsession of darkness._

_Soon enough the kingdom was divided between those who worshipped the Golden Goddesses and those who worshipped the Giants._

_The followers of the Light proudly kept the name of Ikana who sought to keep their counterparts confined to the Eastern Valley._

_The wielders of Darkness became known as the Dark Interlopers or Gomess who grew obsessed with the Twilight Realm._

_What followed was inevitable as each side regarded the other's gods as feeble and weak compared to their own._

_Out of hatred, the Gomess constructed the Stone Towers to act as a portal to the sacred realm to spite the Ikana._

_The Golden Goddesses intervened when they cursed their temples and tried to damn the Gomess._

_This intervention did not end the tribe, as it merely opened a portal to the Twilight Realm, the home of the wild deities._

_It was in this land they discovered the mask of the Man Eater, the remains of a primal god._

_The emergence of this mask only ignited a long brewing feud as war was declared._

_Neither the Ikana nor the Gomess were willing to negotiate._

_They did not even realise the Stone Towers had created a gate to Termina._

_They did nothing as various wild deities migrated to Termina amidst the confusion._

_They did not stop fighting, even as the plague bringer, Bellum, invaded Termina._

_One Gomess proved to be different as she was Majora, the chosen of the Eastern Giant._

_Equipped with forbidden knowledge of darkness, she joined forces with the Deku, Goron and Zora to banish Bellum._

_She led them to become the chosen of the remaining Giants and to be capable of calling upon the masked shadows of each primal god._

_They were victorious in their endeavours, they banished Bellum and saved Termina from a terrible fate._

_Upon her return to Ikana, Majora was still faced with the same war._

_Although her recent conquest had made her the target of a sinister plot by Arch Mage Zant._

_Her soul was shattered as he tore out her malice to become an imp for him to control._

_Donning the mask of the Man Eater, the imp played along until the opportune moment._

_When both the Ikana and the Gomess leaders were gathered on the battlefield._

_The Imp unleashed a curse upon both clans, using that accursed mask as a catalyst._

_The Ikana were mutated into the undead, doomed to be shunned by their beloved their goddesses._

_The Gomess were exiled to the Twilight Realm to suffer a hellish fate at the hands of the demons that dwelled there._

_In Ikana's darkest hour, Majora confronted her other self and the monster influencing her._

_She played the Song of Healing and sealed away the demonic man-eater as well as her imp into its mask once more._

_For reasons unknown she then plunged into the abyss of the Stone Towers, sealing the stronghold of her tribe from unwanted visitors._

_The mask of the man-eater gained a new name that day, Majora's Mask._

_Many eons have passed and Majora's Mask had surfaced once more._

_This time falling into the hands of a broken deity, who had lost all sense of their self._

_Out of loneliness and driven to the brink of insanity by the Man Eater, he sought to crash the moon into Termina._

_The puppet was saved and the Man Eater was thwarted once more by a hero from a distant world._

_The lingering ripples of this event have flowed through time._

_As Majora's Mask had bound the Giants to their wrathful shadows, Bellum's imprisonment beyond the veil of time and space had also weakened._

_Although the parasitic monster could not return to Termina, it was not forbidden to manifest in the realms of the Golden Goddesses._

_And so another game among the primal deities has begun…_


	2. Reunion

How long had it been since Link last saw Hyrule? Days had blurred into months, then years. Alone with his trusty steed Epona, he had travelled far and wide in search of Navi. Even though he was not a Kokiri and therefore did not need a fairy, he could not forget her. She had been with him through all of Ganondorf's schemes to claim the Triforce. Yet after that final fight and returning to his original timeline she left without a word. Her movements were caught in a trance that left her silent even when he called for her. The fact that she had disappeared so suddenly concerned him. He feared that his final fight with Ganon and the exposure to his dark aura had hurt Navi.

When Link arrived back in Temple of Time, he could not pursue Navi immediately. He had to warn Zelda of the possible future in store for Hyrule. The possession of the Kokiri Emerald as well as the crest of the Triforce of courage on the back of his hand validated his story. However upon their meeting where she treated him as a perfect stranger was a stab to his heart. Instead Princess Zelda listened to his tale and immediately went to inform her father about the matter. He could still remember her return in the castle courtyard. She merely entrusted him with the Ocarina of Time and the Song of Time along with the instructions to hide it. After all, she would need more time before her father saw the truth. At least with the ocarina missing, Ganondorf would have no way of entering the sacred realm.

Within the week he was on the road, fleeing Hyrule as a wandering swordsman albeit a very young one. Hyrule would be saved from the future Link experienced when the Gerudo king claimed the Triforce. Such a fact was the only cold comfort he had on his lonely journey. The effects of the Ocarina of Time seemed to allow Link to retain his memories of alternate timelines. Everything he had experienced had never really happened. All the people he'd befriended treated him as an outsider. If anything that drove him to find Navi again.

He had now been searching for five or maybe six years, his travels had taken him through Hyrule's outer provinces and to the lands of Termina, Holodrum and Labryanna. Although his journey had strengthened his skill with a blade, he had still not found any trace of Navi. With a heavy heart, he finally steered Epona towards Hyrule. His time in exile had worn him down and all he wanted were the comforts of home. The rural plains of Ordona province came into view. It was mostly peaceful farmlands on the edge of thick forests. A few farms were scattered around the grasslands but there was no proper town to take shelter in.

Link found a suitable place to rest by the river in the early morning light. In the distance he could already see farmers beginning their routines of tending to their crops and herds. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the river, noticing how he had become a young man during his time away. His blue eyes reflected a maturity beyond his physical age. He thrust one of his hands into the water, dissipating his reflection. Gazing at the back of his hand now, it felt like a lifetime ago when the Triforce of courage appeared on it. Oddly in the months that followed his departure from Hyrule it seemed to weaken then vanished completely. He now wondered if anyone would even remember him upon his return. Epona neighed in the background as she fed on some nearby grass. Time had turned her into a fine steed for any legendary hero. Link splashed cold water over his face to fight off sleepiness.

He glanced over at his travelling pack, the sheathed gilded blade and the sorrowful face of the mirror shield leant on it. Memories of his time in Termina came to mind, for it was in that land that he found that decagonal shield in the haunted kingdom of Ikana. The blacksmith, Zubora, from the northern peaks was responsible for transforming his humble Kokiri blade into the gilded sword that had kept him safe from foes. Now he was thankful he could wield the long sword with one hand easily. Briefly he thought of Skull Kid, Tatl and Tael, wondering what had become of them since he defeated Majora's Mask.

As morning broke and the land was bathed in sunlight, Link rode down the main trail. For the most part the farmers ignored him, too preoccupied with tending to their crops and herds. The trail eventually led back through a verdant forest, known to Ordona as the Faron Woods. That particular region appeared to be the main path linking Hyrule to the outer provinces. It was also the first forest Link had seen that was devoid of any kind of magic. Unlike the Lost Woods, the plants here were vibrant and you could even see the sky watching the ground with curiosity beyond the treetops. The wind had a similar scent to the Kokiri Forest. The air here was clear of any fairies and magical sprites that were abundant in the Kokiri village due to the Great Deku Tree's magic.

The path narrowed with the presence of ancient cliffs. Epona crushed the snapping jaws of Deku Babas with ease as she galloped onwards. The tunnel ended in a glade occupied by a spring of shimmering water. The trail continued on the opposite side and went deeper into the forest. The waters rippled around collections of strangely carved stones. Softly curved lines wove and danced along the surface of the rocks, yet it was difficult to tell what manner of creature had engraved them this way. The water also looked much clearer than any source of water Link had seen before. He furrowed his brow, recalling seeing this same spring years ago. The fact it seemed locked in time and unchanging felt peculiar to him. From spending his childhood in the forest, he had learnt from a young age that nature was a being of change and growth. To see a place like this only concerned him as he steered Epona towards the trail and away from the water.

"L…Li..nk…"

He stopped at the sound of that weary voice, it sounded just like Navi. Immediately dismounting, he looked around for the source of the sound. His hand did not stray far from the handle of his sword.

"Link… is that you? You look so different."

The water of the spring rippled, a ball of light danced from its surface and soared over his head. Finally slowing its pace, translucent wings emerged as it took the familiar shape of a fairy. The light then took on a soft blue colour.

Link could hardly believe his eyes "Navi? Is that really you!?"

"Yes Link, I'm sorry I left you without explanation," her wings drooped "Ganon's evil was so strong… I needed to purge myself of his aura so I came here." She floated over the surface of the water "There are springs like this hidden within the provinces of Hyrule. No one knows where they came from and they have a tendency to disappear then reappear as the land shifts, but they are said to be enchanted by spirits of light." She dove through the water and emerged before him "Being immersed in these waters… it was the only to cleanse my soul and be free of his evil."

"I've been looking for you everywhere. Finding you has kept me going for the past few years."

Navi observed him, he still wore that same green hat that allowed his untidy bangs to part around his face. He had grown beyond a humble Kokiri tunic as well, now favouring the clothes of a wandering swordsman. A faint glimmer of chainmail was present beneath the collar of his dark green surcoat. Tights were tucked into his high leather boots. His forearms were protected by leather bracers with a pair of fingerless gloves concealing his hands. Despite the changes to him, two things remained the same, the first being the presence of green in his clothes and the second were his eyes.

The fairy felt overwhelmed with a mix of pride and happiness "And you've become a fine hero in your own right. I bet you've done a lot of good deeds in that time."

"A few," he laughed to himself "I still can't believe I've finally found you. I don't know what to say… Saria told me that when fairies leave they return to the heavens. For so long I didn't want to believe it…"

"I did ascend to the heavens and sadly my emergence is not a happy one." Navi's wings tilted with low ringing tune "I fear a monster has set its sights on Hyrule, the only thing I know about this evil is that it's cunning and strikes from shadows. The only detail of its appearance is that it has golden eyes."

"Then we make haste to the castle, Zelda must be warned."

Link mounted Epona once more and galloped off into the distance. His mind was a whirlpool of elation from being reunited with Navi, yet consumed with panic from the threat to his homeland. Even after all these years, he still found that the very suggestion of Zelda in danger was enough to send him to her side. He rode on through the morning light as Faron Woods passed in a blur. He knew he could make it to the castle by nightfall if he kept this pace.

* * *

At that moment, in another forest lost to the realm of the Golden Goddesses. The Woods of Mystery shared that familiar comfort of a home to Skull Kid. The scent of an ancient forest was hard to miss with such acute senses. He had found a similar atmosphere in the Lost Woods of Hyrule. Even to this day he did not understand why he found solace in such places. He could not for the life of him recall any memories of his true past or even his family. Only faint slivers of befriending the Giants of Termina, a Hylian who lived among the Kokiri named Link and two wayward fairies, remained fresh in his mind.

Since the thwarted wrath of Majora's Mask, Skull Kid had assumed a new life by tagging along with wayward wanderers of Termina. They appeared to be in tune with the ancient ways of magic that made him feel at ease. The presence of such power would have typically scared away most, but to him. This ability to wield darkness and the elements was normal to him. He also suspected by staying with them he could learn more of his lost memories given that it was suggested that he was a wild deity. A type of immortal who had migrated to Termina from the Twilight Realm, each was diverse possessing a variety of forms and powers.

He had met with two such wild deities who chose to dwell in the mortal coil. The Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm who reincarnates as a mortal named Veran along with Twinrova, a higher arcane wild deity who lived in the swamps in the form of two witches. Standing in that glade now, he could not fathom how old it truly was. The plants here were reminiscent of a distant era before any part of Termina was civilised. Amidst the flora was a pillar of jet black stone etched with angular patterns. Half were coloured red and the other side was blue. All the lines and elaborate flourishes met in the centre to create a visage of Majora's Mask upon the surface of the black gemstone. It stood the height and width of a Goron, although its existence was known only to those who had a link with the Twilight Realm.

However how could he possibly even think he was some form of deity? His face was lost to a weave of straw and shadows. Two gleaming balls of light served as his eyes while a beak functioned as his mouth. His frame was small and agile, adorned with all manner of scraps he found littered through the forest. Surely the deities were mistaken that he of all mortals could possess any semblance of power. At least that was what he told himself to drown out the truth. The fact that Majora's Mask could draw such immense magic from him never strayed too far from his mind.

He could still recall his first visit here before the mesmerising crimson and azure patterns of light. They pierced through the black stone and writhed as living creatures. If he was to truly believe it, he was the one responsible for bringing this piece of the Twilight Realm to the forest. The specific use for this relic was also unknown other than that it revealed the true forms of wild deities when their mortal masks wandered too close. An anomaly caught his attention as the crimson and azure patterns faded. They went black then flashed a brilliant gold before disappearing once more. The familiar pulsing of red and blue returned as the stone resumed its usual splendour. Perplexed by what this deviation meant, Skull Kid jumped down from the branch he was perched on and ran off through the woods and back towards the swamp.


	3. To the castle

The view from the castle window allowed Zelda to see Hyrule Town in all its splendour. The city had grown over the past few years now that the threat of the Gerudo had been vanquished. Since the imprisonment of Ganondorf, the frequent raids and attacks had ceased allowing trade between the races of Hyrule and the outer provinces to flourish. Each passing day some new structure was being built to accommodate the various migrants flocking to the markets and bazaars. Due to this, the castle appeared to have changed as well with more elaborate walls to shield it from unwanted visitors. The number of guards and knights in the court had practically doubled to accommodate the safety of the royal family as well as the growing population taking residence in the city.

One building never seemed to change and remained near the centre of town. The Temple of Time resided as an unwavering bastion to Hyrule's past. The glorious shrine was a testament to the power, wisdom and courage of the goddesses and stood as a reminder as to what all Hylians should aspire to embody. Pristine white stone had been painstakingly carved and shaped into an elaborate cathedral, yet that was merely a physical manifestation of its true form. It had really been designed and built by the ancient sages and a mysterious race from the sky to act as a gateway to the sacred realm. Legend told that when one approached the door of time, housed in the temple, with the spiritual stones of earth, fire and water along with the ocarina of time, they could enter the holy realm of the Triforce. While this detail was regarded as an old fairy tale, the princess knew it to be true. The royal family had always been entrusted with protection of this temple and the bloodlines of the sages. Zelda had grown up fully aware of her duties as Hyrule's royalty and the duty to protect her country.

These days, it felt harder and harder to do just that. The chase and arrest of Ganondorf had taken over two years and long chain of bloody battles. This followed by the panic of where they would imprison him as he had demonstrated in combat that he was a very powerful warlock and warrior. The king decreed the construction of the Arbiter's Grounds in the heart of the desert to act as his prison. To add further insult to injury the jail was built over a Gerudo temple in honour of one of their goddesses. Even though it had been a year since the construction was completed, Zelda still cringed at the decision to build that retched place. She knew the Gerudo were nothing but demonic scum that stole from all other races, yet some part of her knew that to tear down one of their temples was taking their rivalry too far.

With Ganondorf finally imprisoned securely until a fitting punishment could be decided, a new era of peace had dawned on Hyrule. This had escaped Zelda's grasp as she found herself taking on more responsibility of ruling the kingdom. Her father had been gravely wounded by Ganondorf in the battles that led to the warlock's capture. However the dark magic infused with the attack had stopped the king's wounds from healing properly. It left him bedridden most days and unable to serve his kingdom. Even though Zelda was not yet old enough to undergo the coronation rites she felt like she was already the Queen. It felt like the only spare moments she had were the brief hours of moonlight before she finally went to sleep.

She left the view at the window and retreated from her chambers. Her hand brushed a wayward lock from her face as she wrapped her dressing gown around her body. Leaving her room she passed a tall Shiekah woman with silver hair and red eyes. She was much older than Zelda and possessed the athletic build of a warrior. Black and navy armour of hardened leather was adorned by an eye symbol crying a single tear.

Zelda curtsied to her loyal bodyguard "I'm just going to the courtyard Impa."

"Good, I was just about to collect you." Impa smiled, her eyes accentuated by white markings "Someone is waiting for you, I caught him trying to sneak in an hour or so ago."

"Sneak in? And you've let him have an audience with me?"

"Would I ever put you in danger, child? At first I didn't recognise him, but once he showed me the ocarina and I saw that fairy, I knew who he was."

Zelda could not contain the smile on her face, she made haste down the corridor leaving Impa to remain in the shadows. A mirror caught her attention as Zelda skidded to a halt. Her long blonde hair was neatly braided back. Even without her makeup, she still possessed an elegant and beautiful face with heavenly blue eyes. She paused to contemplate her current gown, a plain violet robe she wore to bed and the dressing gown. She still appeared to look like a regal monarch albeit a rather casual looking one. Satisfied by her appearance she quickened her pace to the courtyard, slowing her feet upon her approach so she did not give the idea of being too eager.

The sound of rippling water drew near from the decorative moat that framed the courtyard. It was a private oasis among the severity of the castle that was home to an array of colourful flowers. In her youth, Zelda spent time with her mother here learning about the goddesses and the Triforce. She also used the various windows to spy on the audiences with the king. Now beneath the starry night stood a lone swordsman, his attire spoke of adventures to all manner of lands beyond Hyrule. Time had changed him from the boy who came to her all those years ago, yet looking into his eyes she could still sense a heroic aura. A blue fairy hovered near him as he knelt before her and presented the ocarina of time.

"I believe you can have this back now, princess. From what I've seen in town, Ganondorf and the Gerudo are no longer a threat."

"Link, there's no need for such formalities between us. Especially after all you've been through for my sake." She pulled him to his feet "I'm just happy you've finally returned. I hope the ocarina has kept you safe during your travels."

He laughed nervously "I'll admit it was the reason why I was able to save a far off land."

"I see you've become a fine swordsman, your travels did you well."

"And you've become a great princess while I was away, I've never seen Hyrule so peaceful."

Zelda passed him, taking a seat on the marble steps they had met on so many years ago. She beckoned him to side beside her "Please, tell me about your adventures. I want to know everything that's happened."

Link leant his sheathed sword and shield near him as he sat beside Zelda. The hours passed at a rapid pace as he regaled her with tales of his journey beyond Hyrule. They did not even notice the early morning light until Impa finally collected them from the courtyard and escorted them to separate chambers.

* * *

The guest room Link had stayed in was grander than any place he had ever slept. Impa claimed it was a less impressive chamber reserved for royal merchants, yet the chamber was still opulent. Banners bearing the Triforce and the Hylian crest striped the stone walls. A fireplace remained on one side with a sitting area before it. Along the opposite wall were many large windows permitting a fantastic view of the extensive gardens. Link however did not find them overly beautiful. There was some artificial quality about them as the plants were organised and tended rather than allowed to grow wildly.

By far the greatest quality of this room was the large bed he slept in. Never before had he imagined that a bed could be so comfortable. He was almost reluctant to leave the cocoon of blankets that morning. This was prompted by Navi frantically flying overhead. She growled to him "It's almost past midday now! Shouldn't we tell Zelda about that evil coming!? That was the reason we came here first."

Link threw the covers over his head "Can it wait five more minutes?"

"You've been saying that for the past hour. Come on, get out of bed!"

"Don't I deserve some kind of break? I've only just returned."

"You can rest after we tell Zelda!"

"Tell me about what?" She asked as she shut the door of the chamber behind her. Zelda looked more true to the visage of a princess now. Her white, red and pink gown modestly complimented her beauty. Golden jewellery of the Triforce adorned her accessories.

Link sat up in bed, sleepily scratching at his hair as his other hand reached for his hat on a bedside table. Quickly adjusting his hat and his tunic he motioned to get out bed but hesitated. He remembered he was only in his underpants bellow the covers. That was not an ideal way to greet a princess.

"Don't get up as I can't stay long… I finally got a chance to see you, being a princess is nothing like a fairy tale. I rarely have time for myself these days." She took a seat on the edge of his bed. A soft smile appeared on Zelda's radiant face to then change to a look of concern "I actually wanted to talk to you briefly and thought you might be awake by now."

He did not like this change in demeanour "What is it Zelda?"

"I had a vision last night, a monster is coming to Hyrule… a creature of unfathomable evil that feeds on souls. It glared at me from beyond the veil of dreams with wicked golden eyes." She physically recoiled "I had to wake up just to escape its grasp." Zelda felt an arm around her shoulders, she looked up to see Link by her side. The blankets were skilfully manoeuvred to keep him mostly covered up.

Navi floated to her level "Princess… is there any record in Hylian history of such a monster?"

"No, I've never heard or seen any trace of such a creature. But my visions have never been wrong."

Link reassured "If there is any danger then I will help you in any way I can." It all he could say to hide his surprise at how brazen his action had been. To actually hold Zelda was something he never would've considered now.

"Thankyou Link." Zelda nervously smiled back to him "Being haunted by such visions is problematic as I have little freedom to do anything about them. The castle needs me to keep Hyrule in order and I cannot deploy the army on the whim of an unclear prediction."

"So you need more information? Well, where do you want me to go?"

"Before I awoke, I saw a skull kid in my dream with two fairies hovering near him. He was in the forest with a lantern, beckoning me to follow him… there were four silhouettes in the distance too. But I can't recall who or what they were… at the same time, they glowed with auras of destruction, sorrow, despair and unfathomable darkness… I don't even know if they are allies or foes."

Link was shocked as he blurted out "Two fairies!? You're sure about that?"

She nodded solemnly "One of light, another of darkness, just like the fairies that accompanied the Skull Kid in Termina."

"Then I'll head off to the forest at once. If Skull Kid is anywhere in Hyrule, he'll be in the Lost Woods." Link tried to remain a little optimistic "Besides, I need to visit Kokiri Forest anyway to see Saria. It won't be too much of a delay for me and I can ask if anything suspicious has happened."

"Thankyou Link, I still don't know why you're so loyal to me." Zelda rose and turned to him "I barely know a thing about you and yet… I feel I can trust you."

Link smiled back to her, in all honesty even he was unsure as to why he was so dedicated to her.


	4. Seed of Evil

It was another peaceful morning in Kokiri village. The small town was built amidst the ancient trees to the point where you could not tell where the forest ended and the settlement began. Despite the numerous tree houses and walkways, nature was never shunned from their homes. Ribbons of azure water cascaded through the village, surrounded by lush green grass. The air danced with all manner of fairies and wisps making the land sparkle with ethereal light. At the edge of town were two hollowed out logs amidst the verdant walls of forest. One led to Hyrule Field, a path rarely travelled by the inhabitants of the forest. The other was a path more tread as it led to the mysterious Lost Woods.

The inhabitants of this secluded paradise were the eternally young Kokiri, a race of sprites that tended to the spirit that guarded all plants in Hyrule. At that moment the Great Deku sapling was still in the process of growing into a mighty tree. The chief of the Kokiri, Mido was issuing his commands on the morning needs for the sapling. The three brothers before him scattered to collect the various items he requested. Mido let out a sigh, even after all this time had passed he could not bring himself to forgive Link. That trouble maker had not been able to save the Deku Tree and left the forest with the Kokiri Emerald. It was nothing short of miraculous when the sapling first poked its leaves through the earth.

By now most of the Kokiri had all but forgotten about Link with the sapling demanding attention. Aside from that, years had passed and Kokiri were not allowed beyond the confinements of the forest. There was no telling what had happened to Link now. Mido heard a branch snap nearby, looking upwards he saw a blue fairy floating near the entrance to the Lost Woods. He shook his head, cursing under his breath at the bothersome wild fairies who did not belong to a Kokiri. Keeping himself busy, he stomped off deeper into the village.

Link could not believe his eyes, it seemed like nothing had changed in the Kokiri village. Even the occupants looked exactly the same. He had caught a glimpse of Mido, there was no mistaking it was him as they had the same pout and stomping march.

Navi said quietly "Aren't you going down to say hello?"

He coldly admitted "No, I doubt they'd even recognise me now."

"Then why did you come back?"

"Because I wanted to see Saria, she was my best friend growing up and never rejected me. In a way, I think she knew I was a Hylian all along."

"Alright, so let's go find Saria, I'm sure she'd like to see you again."

Link nodded to himself as he observed the village from his place in the shadows. From what he could see, there was no sign of Saria anywhere in the village. However he knew she was more likely to be in the sacred forest meadow deep within the Lost Woods. Without fear, he entered the cursed woods that had driven many wayward adventurers insane.

* * *

The verdant labyrinth of the Lost Woods eventually thins out. The sacred forest meadow is an island amidst the chaotic sea of nature. A secluded corridor of stone walls that leads to an ancient temple. Although not even the Kokiri or the Great Deku Tree, in all its forms, can recall when this place was built. At times it felt like the temple was the source of the forest as well as the mystical powers that enchant it. However, with the stairs all but shattered by the passage of time the way into such a place was near impossible. That did not mean it was impossible to enter.

Saria knew there was something amiss when she first came to meadow a few days ago. The clearing before the temple was one of her favourite places in the forest so it was common for her to make the trek on a regular basis. The eerie silence that welcomed her, told her there were no birds or animals amidst the trees or on the forest floor. She took careful note of her observations, unsure as to whether to bring it to Mido's attention yet. Today she knew she would have to say something to the village. The plants near the temple were withering. This was utterly inconceivable so long as the Great Deku Tree was alive in some way.

She then paused as she felt a presence lurk behind her. The menacing and hungry gaze of a predator had found her. Yet it did not feel like a Wolfos or Stalfos. This felt more calculating and intelligent. Saria did not even see the attacker's tendrils emerge from her own shadow and attempt to grasp her skull. At the last moment she turned to see tentacles made of darkness reach for her. Some were flattened and dotted with piercing golden eyes. Out of panic she reached to her satchel and threw a deku nut at the monster, a blinding flash of light erupted followed by a pained howl. Saria attempted to seize her chance but could not, her shadow was pinned to the ground by this monster and so was she.

Before the monster could resume its lunge, a blade gilded with golden patterns sliced it cleanly in half. Saria lunged back, her shadow now freed, and poised herself to throw another deku nut. She was utterly stunned by her saviour. It was an adult Hylian, a fine swordsman from the look of it as well. However, no matter how he had aged, Saria could not forget him "Link, is that really you?"

Saria had not aged a day since he left the forest. Her green hair was still cut short and curled around her pretty face. Even her tunic and shorts were the same as ever. Link nodded back to her as he approached, still keeping his shield raised and his eyes focused on his surroundings. He jested with a nervous smile "And here I was hoping for a happy reunion. Why is the forest so dead here?"

"There's something wrong with the temple, it's only been today when that thing tried to grab me." Saria handed him one of her satchels "It doesn't seem to like light so take these, just in case."

"Thanks Saria." Link sheathed his blade, he then reached for the hookshot on his belt.

"Wait, you're not thinking of going in there!? We don't even know what we're up against!"

"I have to if we're to find out what's wrong," He aimed the contraption at an overhanging branch "Get back to village, make sure everyone is safe." A small bladed hook released from the mechanical handle and embedded in the wood. Link was sent flying through the air to land safely on the doorstep of the temple, high above Saria. He waved to her again before disappearing into the temple.

"No, you stupid idiot! Don't go in there!" A golden fairy zoomed past Saria's head.

A fairy of darkness followed behind "Link! Listen to Tatl! It's a trap!"

"Oh no, this is bad Veran, we just missed him! We've got to hurry!"

Saria let out a yelp as a skull kid dashed past and nearly knocked her down. His straw body woven with shadows gave him an inhuman agility and dexterity. He leapt effortlessly from branch to stone to come to the temple doorway alongside the fairies.

"We wouldn't be late if you just opened that damn door instead of hesitating." A cold female voice responded with a tinge of frustration.

A tall, voluptuous woman had materialised behind Saria without a sound. Her skin was so translucent it appeared to be blue from the vessels tangled beneath it. Bright orange hair that shimmered like a flame was cut to her scalp on the left side of her head. The right side of her face was framed by long curved locks that resembled a taloned claw. She wore a tight bodice decorated with eye patterns and layers of sarongs trailing with silver hoops at her waist. A pair of tights covered her legs and she wore matching silver bangles and anklets. Her neck was encircled by a collar of arcane and eye symbols etched on silver and onyx, two trails of crimson ribbons flowed behind her from the edge of the collar. She glared down at the terrified Kokiri and sneered "Go home, little girl, you are no help here."

Saria fled the meadow as fast as she could from the sight of the woman turning to darkness and shattering into a million fragments.

* * *

Tendrils of unknown life writhed across all surfaces of the temple chambers. Whatever benevolence it once had was now shatter by the parasite lurking in the shadows. They were a sickly yellow that pulsed with gold light and darkness but fortunately were passive as they remained stuck to their walls. Link carefully stepped between the gaps on the floor. Sensing it was best if whatever these appendages belonged to remained oblivious to his presence. As he approached the entrance to the central chamber the malevolent aura was growing. At this point it was nearly suffocating to him as he entered through the broken door.

When he last came here, this chamber housed the four flames leading down into the underbelly of the temple. Now the torches were toppled over and the source of the strange tendrils came from a dark pit in the centre of the room. He raised his shield as tendrils close to the pit began to twitch uncontrollably. Link whispered to his fairy companion "Navi, if you need to hide in my hat-"

She confidently informed "Since my return I've become more resilient to dark auras. I will be here to help you fight this thing."

"You are even stupider than I remember if you think you can fight this thing!"

"Tatl!?" Link turned around to see the familiar golden fairy alongside her brother, he lowered his sword "Tael as well? But… how?"

Tael piped up "Skull Kid is behind us, we had to stop you before Bellum possessed you!"

"Bellum? Wait, you know what all this is!?" Link gestured to the desecrated temple.

"All we know is that it survives by feeding on souls and draining life force."

Tatl added "And for some reason it's chosen Hyrule as its most recent buffet!"

Navi intervened "Link… who are these uncouth fairies?"

"I could ask you the same thing!" Tatl slammed into Navi "What kind of fairy are you? You can't even tell what kind of aura this thing has!?"

Tael corrected his sister "But she's not uncouth."

"Link watch out!" Tatl broke from her squabble from the sight of the creature looming behind them. It appeared as a demonic squid like creature, a hardened exoskeleton that encased a writhing core of darkness. Long tentacles ended in golden eyes while a long tendril lined with red light like a spine dangled lifelessly as a tail. The creature floated through the air, the spine reaching towards Link, long barbs appearing along its surface.

He narrowly dodged the brunt of the attack as he side stepped. The tail still slashed at his face, cleanly tearing over his right eye. His vision turned red, a scream escaped him as he fell to his knees disorientated. The monster's face, for lack of a better word, was nothing more than a maw of fangs with an eye in the centre of it. It swished its tail and tentacles wildly as it lunged towards Link. It howled at the sight of a blinding flash then a beam of light.

Navi panicked "I don't know how we're going to get out of this!"

Link clasped a hand to his injured eye to stop the blood. With his vision somewhat balanced he saw Skull Kid between him and the monster.

Skull Kid had tossed a deku nut at the creature then took advantage of the temporary flash by positioning the dropped mirror shield strategically. The shield proved too heavy as he released it and said "But at least we can stop Bellum from stealing your soul and turning you into a puppet!"

Tael cried in a panic "Come on guys, we gotta run! He's bound to the temple for now!"

Before either of them could flee, Bellum lunged towards them once more, the tendrils across the floor moved to his will. They ensnared Skull Kid and Link in a heartbeat. Barbed spikes emerged along the surface of the tentacles and cleanly cut through their prey. Skull Kid kept resisting, his lack of blood made him immune to such pain. The trap only worked for a moment though before a blue skinned woman intervened.

Tatl pleaded, flying near her head "Veran, kill it!"

"I don't have the power to kill a primal deity," Veran moved her arms in elaborate gestures "But I can get us to safety!"

Link panicked as the stabbing pain ceased and his entire body became cloaked in darkness. Fragments of his silhouette then broke away and vanished into the ether. He struggled in vain as the shadows swallowed him whole.

Bellum howled with unbridled rage as the Hero of Time slipped from his grasp. He paused, at that moment he had not absorbed enough souls to take on a more evolved form. Yet the memories of his ditties into the mortal coil were still fresh in mind. He had seen such magic before in Termina, never would he have expected such blasphemous power to exist in the land of the Golden Goddesses. He retreated to his dark pit to continue draining the forest of life, plotting and waiting as he did.

* * *

The moss covered ancient gears creaked to their own rhythm. Lost in the darkness they kept turning as Termina's pulse and livelihood. Water churned through the ancient stone channels to power to elaborate contraptions overhead. At the bottom of this marvel of technology was a plain stone door. It may have had a symbol or some sign as to what it was many eons ago. Time had worn it down to a smooth alabaster lustre. Fragments of darkness spilled in from the air to gather and form into silhouettes. Skull Kid gasped for air, the art of shadow teleportation always startled him.

Tael shyly asked to no one in particular "All back in one piece?"

"What do you mean you can't kill Bellum!?" Tatl got right in Veran's face "You're the best shadow sorceress in all of Termina, and you can't kill it!? I don't believe you."

"Yes, I am the best, but I can't just slay a primal deity on a whim. There's only a handful of immortals that can do that." Veran put her hands on her hips "Besides, you can't KILL a deity, you just shatter their current form so they have to reincarnate."

Skull Kid rose to his feet, dusting himself off in the process "Hey, does anyone see Link?"

Tatl, Tael and Veran paused as the horrible reality dawned on them. There was no sign of the Hylian they intended to save in the first place.

Tael attempted to start the logical thought process to alleviate the situation "That's a good point… did the warp fail because we jumped between Hyrule and Termina?"

Skull Kid nodded to his fairy friend "It worked for us and we know he can come to Termina as well, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to in order to save us from Majora's Mask."

"However he is unfamiliar with this magic, meaning he could've panicked and went out of sync with our trajectory." Veran coldly informed.

"So… where is he then?"

"He could be anywhere, either in Termina or the Twilight Realm." Skull Kid fell deathly silent at the news. Veran reassured "If he's in Termina he'll show up eventually, if he fell into the Twilight Realm then I'll find him."

Skull Kid waved her goodbye as she vanished into the ether once more.


	5. An Unlikely Saviour

The pirate fortress of the Great Bay rarely entertained visitors on civil terms. However Aveil was intrigued by this recent development. It was uncommon for a travelling scholar to come knocking so often, claiming that they were in possession of an important relic. What was rarer was the fact this woman and her cronies appeared capable of ravaging their ships and generally interrupting their usual raiding. The grand hall of the fortress was adorned by all manner of treasure stolen from the hands of others. Aveil proudly displayed her status as she lounged on a fine couch. Banners of red depicting their flag hung around the walls. Aveil herself was an enchanting beauty of the Gerudo pirates. Her long orange hair contrasting with sun kissed skin as she made sure to wear her finest jewels for the meeting. She reclined before her visitor who merely stood looking most unimpressed.

The young scholar appeared discoloured and ill with grey skin. Her bloodshot eyes permanently appeared infected as her sclera was tinged yellow and her iris was the colour of mud. A two tailed jester hat ended in hexagonal silver rings, similar rings ended the short thick braids that framed her face. She wore a sleeved tunic with a tattered singlet over it that ended in ribbons all tied to silver hoops. Long trousers tucked into strange boots and violet sashes cinched her waist.

Strangely she did not have a weapon sheathed at her side. Aveil had deduced she was probably a brawler from the presence of gauntlets, vambraces, sabatons and greaves in her clothing. Strangely the armour did not appear to be made of metal, but rather an odd stone with shadowy cryptic runes all over. The patterns were only amplified by a strange darkness writhing within them. She also did not appear to possess the body of a normal scholar, as it appeared athletic and more muscular compared to a normal woman. If they had met under different circumstances, Aveil would've welcomed her to the crew with open arms.

Perhaps the detail that caught Aveil's interest was the pendant around her neck. At first glance it looked like an odd stone mask on an old leather chord. But the mask might have been a helm from armour. A twisted face adorned by a pair of horns fitted in the leather seamlessly. There was a pair of strangely wide eyes looking back at her yet no mouth or nose. The end of the pendant curved into another pair of horns and two jagged spikes. More notable was the fact that a strange stone relic they had plundered bore a striking resemblance to the pattern of the pendant.

"Thankyou for meeting with me again, regardless this will be the last meeting before I take what I want by force."

"You talk big for a weedy scholar, Sable." Aveil toyed with the stone horns the scholar sought "What could you possibly do to me? I mean, you dress like a jester, why should I take you seriously?" Leaning over the arm of her lounge she smirked "And I can tell this is worth more to you than just a history lesson. No, this little relic here," she casually juggled it between her hands "Looks like a piece of a bigger puzzle and you know where the rest of the pieces are. It's clear from the look of your necklace you know what's really going on."

"I guess you're too clever for your own good," Sable let out a sigh as Aveil gestured her to continue. She frowned in reply "And you thought I would just tell you outright?" She laughed cruelly "You really are an idiot."

The fortress quivered as the earth violently shook. Loose stones and bricks jolted free of their confinements and tumbled to the ground. Aveil leapt from her seat to evade a falling beam. She immediately armed her falchions and poised to strike at Sable.

The strange woman merely smiled back at her, stepping forward so her neck was a breath away from the blade. Sable put her arms out defiantly "You see my dear Aveil, my friends and I are very, very, very good at breaking things. So now I'm forcing your hand, stay here and attempt to keep that relic from me, save your plundered treasure or save your crew before this fortress falls to ruin. The choice is yours."

"You will never get the relic." Aveil lunged forward but shocked as Sable merely turned into a shadow and vanished. In her place stood a strange creature that wore the green fur of a fox. On closer inspection, the fur was merely camouflage that hid an oversized chelicerata that oozed venom from its mandibles and long stingers.

"A Forest Fox!? But those are only found in the swamps!"

She narrowly evaded the pounce of the fox as it attempted to bite her neck. Aveil continued to dodge helplessly at the inhumanly quick movements of her opponent darting towards her from all directions. Amidst it all the fortress kept quaking as the walls began to collapse. In the fray, she dropped the relic and made her way to the exit before the roof could fall down. She did not care what had become of Sable as the fox had merely pursued the relic. Aveil had heard legends of shape shifters in Termina, but she never imagined she would ever encounter one.

The sight of chaos greeted Aveil when she made her way into the daylight. Already ships were attempting to flee through the destroyed gates. It appeared as though something had smashed them in, bending the iron walls like paper. Fires broke out all over the fortress as supplies of black powder erupted. Black smoke rose to the sky amidst the screams of the Gerudo pirates. Aveil frantically ran along the fortress roofs, shouting commands to her loyal pirates. By now, survival was the only thing on her mind.

The source of the earthquakes surfaced from beneath the water. The massive serpent dwarfed the ships as it thrashed its tail effortlessly. Its body streamlined to travel like lightning through the ocean. The tips of its barbed fins crackled with electricity that it generated through its body. Aveil had seen such a beast before, the Deep Pythons of Pinnacle Rock were only the larval stage of these deep sea nightmares. When they came to age, the pythons grew into Abyss Serpents, but this one was different as it moved with strategy and not blind movements.

An obnoxiously happy tune was whistled nearby. Aveil saw the firebug skipping through the chaos. The Deku Scrub was dressed in the gown of a witch and covered her body in layers of red, blue and black fabric. The cuffs of her wide sleeves were sewn with various letters of an arcane language. A thick silver torque studded with large purple gems hugged her neck. Her leafy hair surrounded her face as makeshift bangs with the longer leaves tied up as a high ponytail, cinched by a purple stone and silver bracelet from a Terminan. The fire danced closer to the Deku who merely laughed as her leafy hair glowed then erupted into flames. The end result seemed to create immunity to the danger of spontaneously combusting.

Driven by adrenaline and rage, Aveil dashed towards the unsuspecting Deku who was in the process of conjuring a large fireball in her small hands. Her blade was shattered before it could meet its target as Sable struck it with a sweeping motion of the vambrace of her gauntlet. Aveil leapt back, now down to one sword, to see Sable poised to strike before her. The jester appeared to be armed with nothing more than her fists. Aveil blindly charge again, noticing the darkness engulf Sable's hands and light up with azure runes. She dodged both punches in her direction, but did not evade the high kick to her ribcage. What was more shocking was that the darkness around Sable's foot allowed her limb to pass through Aveil's body. This permitted the force of the attack to strike her ribs in its entirety rather than allow her muscles to absorb the shock.

"Wow, looks like you were right about that shadow magic theory, huh?"

Aveil refused to fall to the ground as she struggled to her knees. Blood coughed from her mouth as she saw more Gerudos head her way.

"Well if we can reap a person's soul then surely we can dial it back a little to strike specific parts of the body. I was aiming for the bones there and looks like it worked perfectly." Sable looked to the Deku "I've got what I need, so ready to go Iris?"

"Yeah, let's ride."

Sable once again became a silhouette and shifted into the form of yet another creature lost to Terminan folklore. Aveil watched as a dragon wreathed in metal scales took shape, Iris merely bounded up onto its back and waved to her. With a single flap of its mighty wings, the dragon and the Deku soared off over the ocean. The Abyss Serpent also retreated beneath the ocean once more and disappeared from the fortress.

* * *

Iris counted down in her mind as she kept an eye on the distance. She cheered excitedly as the pirate fortress crumbled like a house of cards. The avalanche of stone, wood and treasure flooded into the ocean, although there was no telling whether or not the pirates lived. Her attention turned to the stone horns Sable had collected from Aveil. Obviously with Sable in her dragon body, she had no means to safely carry such a valuable relic. So Iris kept whistling to herself as they kept soaring over the Great Bay at great speed. They had to rendezvous with Onox at a secluded cove.

She waved her hands over her hair, extinguishing her firemane spell to restore them to their leafy normalcy. The ocean stretched out below them as far as the eye could see. The white caps of the crashing waves told of the storm that would soon be upon them. However that was days away by now, long after they concluded their business with the western region of Termina. Iris shook her head and perished the theory as she saw the tail of an Abyss Serpent rise and crash amongst the waves. Obviously Onox was not helping in calming the waves as he kept travelling in that monstrous body. Then again, Iris had never seen him not cause mass destruction when he assumed a monster's form. It was probably why he rarely showed off his prowess as a therianthrope.

All was not well though, a dark rift tore through the sky overhead and sent something hurtling towards them. By the time Iris and Sable noticed, it was too late. Whatever had fallen was heavy and struck them hard, plunging them all into the wild ocean. As Sable broke the water's surface she could see Iris instinctively water hopping to the best of her ability. The projectile that had struck them down came in the form of a wounded swordsman garbed in green. Her attention was diverted as a stream of green liquid clouded the water before her eyes.

The streamlined transparent silhouette flickered by the bloodstains, the collapse of the fortress had wounded the unsuspecting beast as it frolicked nearby. Sable immediately pursued it in her dragon form, this was the last legendary beast she had to capture, the Ocean Tiger. Its natural camouflage slipped away allowing its full body to be seen. As its title suggested, it resembled a blue tiger like creature except more streamlined and scaled like a fish. It had four webbed limbs and a long dolphin tail. The edges of its fins were lined with barbs and its body swirled with dark blue markings.

Sable knew this was it, she had strike fast before it vanished into unreachable depths once more. She had been hunting this creature for the past seven years and finally, today she would succeed. The tiger sensed the dragon's presence and tried to swim faster, however its injuries stopped it from fleeing. Without hesitation, Sable buried her fanged jaws into its flesh. The tiger let out a gargled roar as it bled out. She rose from the surface with her writhing trophy and made her way back to the cove to extract its soul.

In the meantime Iris was paddling lazily along the ocean. She had frozen the cap of a wave to create a seaworthy vessel and a long oar of ice. Her whistling turned to a yelp as the sheet of ice rocked unsteadily. She turned to see the swordsman attempting to climb aboard. His wounds oozed crimson with the slightest movement. His breathing ragged and body trembling as he clung to life.

"Get off you oaf!" She swatted him with her oar "Who do you think you are!? Falling out of the sky like that without warning, how rude!"

He pulled himself up only to finally collapse on the ice "I should be asking why you can freeze water and were flying on a dragon's back."

"Because I'm a witch and that dragon is my friend. Maybe you should make friends with therianthropes if you want to fly without falling."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but can you please get me to land."

"Well…" The Deku whistled again "I guess I can, you said please after all. I'm Iris by the way. Who're you and where did you come from?"

"Link… I'm from Hyrule." He closed his eyes to preserve what little energy he had left.

"Where the hell is Hyrule?" Iris mused out loud, completely unfazed as the dragon circled back with some kind of strange fish in its mouth. When no response came she kicked him again "Hey! Stay awake you idiot, die after I've dropped you off."


	6. Saved?

With the small cove ahead, Sable sped up and landed on the sand covered rocks with a skid. The fatally wounded Ocean Tiger was sent tumbling onto dry land. It let out a whimper when it saw the distance between it and the sea. The dragon that had caught it was enveloped in darkness then parted to reveal a woman in a jester hat. In that moment, the tiger knew exactly what she was and why she caught it. A woman's voice laughed in Sable's mind "So… you finally caught me."

She smiled to her prey "I will admit, it was a fun game of cat and mouse while it lasted."

"Well said, young Gomess, I commend you for your talents and enjoy becoming one with you."

"I assure you, the honour is mine." Sable's arm twisted into shadows. A claw of tendrils reached out once more and struck the Ocean Tiger's chest. Its body writhed as she tore out a gleaming blue light. Her hand then reverted to normal as the darkness shed from her form like a second skin. The star of light had become one with her as her skin began to pulse with the energy. She knew she would have to pay a visit to a Great Fairy today to complete the rites of binding.

The great Abyss Serpent approached the shore, diving deep and simply vanishing beneath the waves nearby. A giant of a man emerged from the depths to emerge in the cove. He stretched his muscular arms to crack his joints back the right way. His skin was darkened by a slight tan and his bloodshot eyes were scarlet. His wild mane may have been blonde if actually washed it on a regular basis. A series of faded scars marked the right side of his face and he also appeared to be missing a tooth on that same side as he smiled to Sable. She merely nodded back, turning to look at the sea while he dressed the rest of himself. He quickly put on his tunics and favourite sleeveless duster of hardened leather. Over his clothes he wore an iron cuirass with leather stretched over it. His pauldrons only made his shoulders appear broader and were designed with monstrous eyes. Oddly his sabatons curved upwards at the tips to look a little bit like a pixie and did not match the rest of his outfit.

Sable smiled to herself as she said "I got the last soul Onox."

"So I see," his mouth sounded full "It's quite delicious too."

"Are you already eating it!?" She turned to see him knelt down over the corpse, devouring its cold flesh raw.

"You know I need to eat after I shape shift."

"Still doesn't mean you have to be disgusting when you do it."

"I can't wait for it to be cooked, besides did you get that relic from the pirates?"

"The Fused Shadow? Yes, Iris has it right now…" Sable looked to the horizon "Where is Iris anyway?"

Onox appeared at her side, still chewing on a ripped off leg from the tiger. He shook his head in a direction, Sable followed the gesture to see Iris paddling towards them. Her icy boat partly sinking as it tossed on the waves. They both quickly waded out to shallower waters to grab her before it sank. Iris instinctively water hopped onto Sable's shoulders, she pointed to the mysterious passenger with her "Meet the thing that crashed us out of the sky. He says his name is Link."

"Is he dead?" Onox checked for a pulse, noticing a weak defensive look in the swordsman's eyes. He slung Link over his shoulder effortlessly and waded back to shore.

Link felt his body crash into the deceptively soft sand. He only realised it was mere dusting over layers of rock. He winced inwards, body still shaking as he tried to keep pressure on the more severe wounds over his chest.

"Link, meet Sable and Ox. Guys, this is Link." Iris threw her hands up "Right, I'm done with being polite!"

Onox dumbly asked "So what do we do with him now?"

"He just said he needed to get to land," Iris smirked wickedly "I call dibs on his shield, looks shiny!"

"I'm not dead," Link gritted through his teeth, forcing himself to his knees. He unsheathed his sword and pointed it at the Deku "And you will not be taking anything of mine!"

Sable laughed at his ludicrous threat "You have to have the worst luck, I mean of all the people in Termina to be saved by, it had to be us!? Seriously, fate must be laughing at you right now."

"I'm in Termina? But how!?"

"You fell out of the sky… hey, wait a minute," she inquired bluntly without turning around "Iris, why do you even need a shield? That thing probably weighs more than you do."

Iris responded in a matter of fact way "For sledding of course."

"Don't you remember what happened last time you did that?"

"We apologised and fixed their roof… and the wall… and the shelf… and then ran for it because we basically broke a house." The deku shrugged casually "So what's the problem?"

"They chased us with pitchforks."

"Yeah, and I handled it."

"By freezing the angry mob wielding pitchforks."

"They needed to cool down, honestly attacking two young ladies like that."

Onox added "I don't think you two can really count as ladies, I mean, yes you're female but… you're not very lady-like." He was met with the indignant scowls of his friends "You're more… like a genderless entity… like a lamp or a chair, you serve a purpose." He ducked to avoid a fireball aimed at his head. "And it's things like that, that makes people come to that assumption."

Iris went into a frenzy from his commentary, frost and flames surrounded her hands. She rapidly fired off alternating bolts of fire and ice magic. Onox laughed heartily as he began to dodge them with ease. Most of the magical missiles landed in the ocean or crashed into the nearby walls.

Amidst the spell flinging, Link crawled behind a nearby rock to take cover. He tried his best to calm his breathing and ignore the pain from any movement he made. Scorch marks charred the rock overhead, sending bolts sprinkling down upon him. He covered his eye to shield it from the rain, gentle warmth cascaded over him. It was then he realised that this magic was possibly a friendly encounter as it was not at full strength. He then froze as he realised Sable was beside him. Instinctively he raised his sword at her, although he could not still the tremors of his muscles as he fought the onset of weakness from blood loss.

"Now be a good boy and put the sword down." Sable reached out to touch his wrist and disarm him. Her actions were ceased by a blinding golden light shining from the back of his hand. A symbol of three triangles illuminated then faded back into his body. She practically hissed demonically from the light as she dived over the rock to escape its lustre.

Iris ceased fire as they both saw the golden light. Onox caught Sable as she reeled back clutching her eyes. Even he had to admit the presence of that light stang his vision temporarily. Iris moved in closer, unaffected by the strange anomaly. She pinched Link by the ear as she innocently asked "What kind of magic was that? Why did you hurt my friend like that?" A fireball ignited in her opposite hand, she held the flame near his face "Tell me."

Link weighed the options in his mind, he could surrender or he could strike Iris down with a single blow. This seemed appealing at first until he realised he was too weak to fight her two cohorts. He did not even know what they were fully capable of so it seemed like a poor strategy.

"That thing looked like that triangle the Ikana worship." Sable loomed over him once more, she shook her head "Looks like you're their problem so they can deal with it."

Onox butted in "Are you sure it's such a good idea to just hand him over? They're going to think we did this to him!"

Iris decided "We probably should hand him over to them, we don't know anything about healing magic."

"So…" Onox looked at Sable "You're doing the fly by."

Sable pouted "Why not you? You can fly too!"

"We all know what happens when I turn into that particular monster. Besides you're much quicker than I am."

"Fine, I'll drop the shiny one off at the castle. But I need a cloaking potion."

Iris rummaged through her bag at the edge of the cove. She procured two vials of a rather swampy looking mixture. One was tossed to Sable, the other was forced down Link's throat. "This will give you fifteen minutes of invisibility unless it gets dispelled."

"Plenty of time." Sable remarked as she vanished from sight.

Link panicked as he saw his hands vanish before his eyes, he was not given time to protest. He was already snatched up in the claws of a dragon and flying high above the ground within seconds.

* * *

Hidden deep in the eastern valleys, atop an ancient cliff overlooking Termina, was the city of Ikana. Years ago, the ancient kingdom had been freed of the curses inflicted upon it during the era of magic. Now the survivors were slowly rebuilding their lives in an era of peace and technology. They still upheld their reverence for the Golden Goddesses and the ways of light, yet they understood that Termina now believed in the Giants. While that fact was difficult to tolerate at first, slowly but surely they were making their lives anew with the help of a paranormal investigator and his young daughter who had moved from Clock Town to investigate the ruins.

The castle had once been the seat of the great King Igos who was a fair and noble ruler. In his cursed state he was slain by a travelling swordsman dressed in green. It was a merciful killing and this same traveller freed many of the cursed souls bound to Ikana. Bereft of its ancient societal structure, the castle was more a grand hall accommodating those who had no home. What remained of the Ikanans was governed by Igos' chancellors. Their goal remained clear though as they chose to stay in the valley. They felt it was their responsibility to keep the Stone Towers sealed for all eternity. There was no telling what horrors from the Twilight Realm dwelled within the accursed temples of the Gomess. The towers themselves were now sealed by the combined efforts of the chancellors and the conduit of a wild deity.

On that pleasantly sunny day, Lanayru stood upon the castle's roof to overlook the city. The small market stalls were bustling as a caravan prepared to leave and trade with Clock Town. The desolate stones of the valley had slowly turned green as small shrubs and plants began to peer above the soil. Given that he lived through Ikana's brutal wars with the Gomess, he never imagined the valley would ever be at peace. His golden hair fluttered along the breeze as a gust swept past. Unconsciously he wrapped his azure and cobalt robes tighter around his thin frame.

He found himself turning to gaze at the Stone Towers. Their crude architecture spoke to a depravity and primal existence. Then again what more could he expect of those who would easily hand their souls over to darkness. A smug grin appeared on his face, after all, the Gomess were nearly extinct now and the Ikana still lived. The Golden Goddesses had protected them after all when they sent their hero to save them from Majora's Wrath.

Oddly the wind began to shift erratically, Lanayru sensed something was amiss, cursing himself for leaving his staff in his chamber. The anomaly came to an end as he heard something large land. He could feel something perched behind him, however looking around revealed there was nothing there. Channelling his clairvoyance, his vision began to see through the veils of reality. The silhouette of a dragon was standing over a mortally wounded man. Lanayru was about to call for Eldin to help but the dragon merely stretched her wings. He shielded his face out of defence as the wind cut around him again. The dragon vanished into the sky and left the man behind.

"Please keep fighting," Lanayru was already disenchanting the invisibility hex placed on his patient. Years of being a healer in the battlefront kicked in as he began to tend to his wounds with practised movements. Carefully assessing the extent of the damage while attempting to stop the bleeding with tourniquets torn from his sleeves, Lanayru stated "These injuries were not caused by a dragon, what manner of beast were you attacked by?"

Link began to see red as blood pooled over his working eye. Through his clouded vision all he could see was a familiar belt with the insignia of the Triforce on it. He stammered "You… you led me to Ikana and that secret shrine."

Lanayru froze as he recalled who he was "Then you must be the one who purged the shrine of evil, you also freed many of my people from this curse. It's been too long, Link."

"Who are you anyway?" He winced, spitting up a mouthful of blood.

"Lanayru, and by the divinity of the Golden Goddesses, you will be saved."

Ikanans were beginning to rush onto the rooftop to find the high priest tending to the wounds of a strange man. Before they could question, the emblem of Triforce glowed on the back of Link's hand once more. Some remained still in awe of the divine symbol appearing on a mortal's body. Others made haste to help heal him. Finally unable to tolerate the pain anymore, Link passed into sweet, numb unconsciousness.


	7. Still broken

Time passed hazily between moments of lucid recollections that slipped back into darkness. It was only when he actually stopped that Link realised his wounds would have killed a weaker man. Fear rose to mind whenever he was briefly awake. Half his vision remained covered from his sight on the right side. He knew it was not bandages, as tactile exploration of his face told him there were no such covering directly over his eye. Judging by the shifting of light and shadow across the ceiling, days had passed since Lanayru tended to his injuries. Yet his mind had not stopped reeling from the events that brought him here.

That day, he endeavoured to get up and find his answers. Shakily his body responded as he sat in bed. The chamber itself was rather simple, mostly made of warm hues of smooth stone with colourful murals painted on the walls. He always thought it peculiar how Terminans preferred painting directly on surfaces rather than hang a portrait. Large windows framed by red fabric offered a pleasant view of the castle courtyard on a mildly sunny day. The furniture spoke to a different era, very simple in design with the occasional flourish or crest to decorate them. Most curiously was the presence of the Triforce as an embellishment.

Next he had to actually get out of bed, he threw the covers back and slowly moved his legs to the edge of the mattress. Link tentatively applied pressure to the balls of his feet. Knowing they were sturdy, he then stood and stretched his arms, eliciting a few cracks from his joints. His altered vision was disorientating, he found himself actively turning around to get a proper look at his surroundings. His travelling equipment, sword and shield were on a table on the opposite side of the room. Upon a dresser close to the bed were his clothes and chainmail, mended and clean.

"Oh good, you're awake." Lanayru announced as he entered the room, Link had to physically turn just to catch a glimpse of the priest. "I apologise for not being able to restore your sight. Recently my healing prowess has faded, I fear Nayru is slowly denying me as her envoy." He ran a hand absentmindedly through his golden locks, ashamedly looking at the floor.

Link slipped his tunic on, over his bandaged injuries "Don't say that, you're an excellent healer. I mean, I'm still alive because of you. Thankyou."

"I will admit my magic always exceled over my comrades, but with Nayru's blessing I could weave miracles." Lanayru let out a sigh "Then again, we live in a land belonging to the Giants, I doubt the Golden Goddesses even acknowledge us anymore, unlike your home world."

"You know I'm from Hyrule?"

"The Triforce appearing on your hand, it was a sign that you are one of the chosen of the Golden Goddesses. Although, it's been millennia since we last saw it. There tales of a utopia of the goddesses in our legends, we know this place as Hyrule. Recently however our knowledge has shifted, we realise now that Hyrule and Termina are parallel dimensions." Lanayru stepped closer, placing a hand on each side of Link's face to examine the damaged eye "The scars have healed completely which is good," he took a step back "How are you feeling?"

Link stretched his arms again, his joints still felt stiff "Exhausted, I know I've been in bed but I feel completely drained."

"I think it would best for you to remain in Ikana for a while."

"But I can't stay, Hyrule is in danger!" For a moment, Link felt his strength falter as he braced himself on a nearby table. He gritted his teeth to remain standing as he eyed the door.

Lanayru blocked his path to the door "And as a healer, I can't let you walk out of here with such a crippling injury, you need to rehabilitate yourself so you can manage with losing sight in one eye." His expression became gentle "What is this danger you speak of? Surely the goddesses would never allow anything to happen to their world."

"I fear something may have snuck in, a demon like nothing Hyrule has ever seen before…" Link bowed his head "I would have died in the Forest Temple if Skull Kid hadn't interfered."

Lanayru was at his side, his curiosity piqued "Would this Skull Kid be accompanied by two fairies by any chance?"

"Yes, there was also this woman with blue skin, orange hair and yellow eyes. She cast some spell and I was suddenly falling the sky in Termina."

"That would've been a shadow warp, Gomess magic. Then that woman must've been… yes, there is no other who could've done it." Lanayru spoke before Link would even ask for a description of such terms "That Skull Kid was the same fool to don Majora's Mask all those years ago and opened the Stone Towers." He mused openly to himself "That little heretic is nothing but trouble, what could he possibly want with a champion of the Golden Goddesses?"

Link folded his arms, he fumed to get the priest's attention "I get the feeling there is a lot more to Ikana than I first thought."

Lanayru snapped out of his inner machinations, he shyly nodded "My colleges and I will explain as you recuperate. The problem is that even if you leave Ikana, there is no way for you to return to Hyrule. At least, not now anyway, I'm sure there is a way, but you'll need to consult… them." He shivered at the very thought.

"Who is 'them'?" Link was finding it more challenging to keep his anger in check.

"Termina is not like Hyrule… it is a playground for wild deities who dwell in the Twilight Realm, a place of darkness and madness. They come here to enjoy the mortal coil. They come in many forms with many different powers, all of them are wicked though and cannot be trusted. However I fear the only way for you to find a road to Hyrule would be to consult the wild deities we know of."

Link scratched at his head "So… are the Giants wild deities?"

"Yes and no, they are primal deities, I guess you could consider them the top of the deity hierarchy in the Twilight Realm." Lanayru shrugged "To be honest, we Ikana do not know much of the Twilight Realm or how the wild deities work. That knowledge leads to corruption of the mind and body." His attention was diverted as Link fell to his knees, Lanayru was instantly at his side and helping him up, gently chiding "You need to take it easy. This is a lot of information for you to process."

Frustration boiled in his blood as Link found himself sitting on the bed again. All he wanted was to heal and be gone, given the sheer magnitude of that monster every instinct told him to return to Zelda's side. He had to protect her from such malevolence. A loud complaint from his stomach churned his innards, making him overcome with embarrassment.

Lanayru gently smiled "I'm afraid dinner won't be prepared for a few more hours, but I'll ask the kitchen to put something together for you."

He remarked as he lied down again "Thankyou."

"So your injuries were caused by a demon? It's just, there are some details of them that make no sense."

"It was a demon, like a giant squid monster covered in golden eyes… I think it's called Bellum, what about my injuries make no sense?"

"The rate of healing in your body is remarkably slow, it doesn't make sense given you're so young and healthy. But I'm still looking into it, it may just be an after effect of shock from blood loss. I'll be back in a moment with a meal for you." Lanayru bowed as he excused himself.

Walking down the stone corridors, anxiety began to panic his usually calm mind. It had taken all his self-control to keep composed while talking to Link. He could still not believe the sight of that darkness writhing in Link's wounds and body. How each time he tried to heal him, another gash tore open violently. At least, Link appeared to be stable now, although the details he had shared concerned him greatly. All lingering thoughts traced back to a single question _'Why would the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm save him?'_

* * *

Days slowly crawled past as Link regained his strength. At first he could barely leave his chamber without collapsing, yet he persevered, strived to get a little further each day. Lanayru had proved good company during his recuperation sharing tales of King Igos and his court before they were cursed. Still there was some secrecy to these tales as Lanayru neglected to speak the cause of the curse in the first place. Finally Link was able to walk around the castle and then the city of Ikana. The river still flowed pure water from the mysterious cave to the north. The music box house took pride of place in the centre of the city, nestled beside the town square. The edges of canyon walls held the rugged homes of the Ikanans. The stone painted with vivid gold and yellow markings in tribute to the sun, the Golden Goddesses and their Triforce. The earth had turned green and verdant as plants grew wildly among the stone pathways.

The Stone Towers looked out of place in the lively village. Like a trio of primordial creatures stalking over the horizon who were merely observing Ikana. The earth was still barren and dead around the sealed doorway. The ancient stone carved with symbols and runes he could not recognise. To add further safety, white ropes laced with golden slips of paper bearing holy runes were tangled artistically around the stone door. Whatever was within those towers, Link knew that the Ikanans feared it. Why else would they go to such a drastic extent to keep it barred? Much to his frustration no one seemed willing to discuss what had happened to the valley in the first place to become cursed. They also appeared terrified and fell silent the moment he uttered the word 'Gomess', although he was not sure at this point what that even meant.

To the south was a deadly drop to the eastern valley, one that was impossibly steep and smooth so no one could scale it. The issue of scaling the cliff was remedied by a marvel of Terminan technology. An elaborate set of wheels, steel bars, wooden frames, chains and moving platforms created an elevator between the city and the wilderness bellow. The fenced platforms appeared large enough to safely transport a horse and cart. Link whistled to himself as he peered over the edge and noticed the drop.

"Impressive, isn't it? Took five years to make, the gentleman that lives in the music box is quite brilliant and designed it for us." said a confident voice, a tall man with brown hair and opaque eyes approached. A long cane wavered in front of him, aiding his senses as he moved with ease. He looked like he had been a hunter before his sight was lost. His simple tunic could not conceal his chainmail and an impressive fur pelt hugged his shoulders and draped down his back. He sat down on the edge of the cliff, dangling his legs over "Lanayru said you'd be out here."

Link stammered "Are you sure you should be so close? I mean, clearly you're-"

"Blind? Yes, but I've adapted to it. I may never be Farore's envoy or worthy of the title of Huntmaster again. However, I can still track any living creature using my senses."

Link took a seat beside the strange man "Farore's envoy? Then you must be Faron."

He laughed cryptically, then remarked "And you are a champion of the goddesses. Lanayru would not be silent about how the Triforce appeared on your hand. That is a sign that you are destined to do something great, something that will change the course of history."

"I already know what I must do. I have to return to Hyrule."

"Ah yes, and save your homeland from a creature called Bellum?"

"I see you've been talking to Lanayru." Link grumbled and folded his arms over his chest, Faron nodded in response. "I can understand his concern, but I'll be fine and ready to go in a day or so, I know it."

Faron's words dripped venom "You're an idiot to think that. Your body needs time to adjust, how do you expect to fight with half your vision blind?" He could hear Link cursing under his breath, in many ways Faron could relate to the feeling right now. The desire to return to normalcy, however that was impossible to find once you were changed. He sighed to himself "Lanayru's very worried about you, he thinks your injuries are cursed and it's driving him mad that he can't dispel it. I, on the other hand, believe that you should consult the wild deities in the Woods of Mystery. They may know of an ancient magic that could dispel it."

Link's interest piqued "Then… could maybe some Ikanans help me get there?"

Faron shook his head with a smirk "This is your pilgrimage to make. It is the ways of the champion, this is but a trial of the goddesses to test your power, wisdom and courage."

"Great, this is just what I need." Link buried his face in his hands, his mind wrought with concerns of Hyrule. He needed to know what had happened to Zelda, Saria and Navi.

"I have a proposition to make." Faron's eyes remained focused on the sky overhead "Allow my friend Eldin to train you, once you prove proficient with a blade again, then I'll give you a compass of the Woods of Mystery that leads you straight to where the deities dance."

"Does such a thing exist? How could anything navigate those woods?"

"This compass was seized from our enemy during the war. Apparently it gravitates towards energy from the Twilight Realm, by using that, you may track a safe path through those cursed woods."

Link decided to test his luck "By enemy, you mean the Gomess right?" He saw Faron physically shiver, his hand temporarily went to his eyes. "They blinded you, didn't they? Who are the Gomess? No one will tell me."

"Fine, I'll tell you." Faron took a deep breath to calm himself "The Gomess were once part of our great clan of Ikana, but they shunned the Golden Goddesses and the ways of light in favour of the Giants and the ways of darkness. Soon enough, they became an entirely different race, exposure to the corruptive Twilight Realm cursed their bodies to reflect their savagery. All hell broke loose when they finished building those accursed towers. They were also the ones to find and use Majora's Mask." Faron cracked his knuckles "And that is pretty much all you need to know of the matter, so, do I tell Eldin to expect you for training tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'll put all my strength into it."

"An admirable disposition."

Link fell silent as he watched the sunset from the high perch of the city. Faron remained by his side, although he had no idea what the blind man was even thinking about or looking at. The sky broke into vivid shades of orange and purple as the golden shine of day vanished into the night.


	8. Seven Hidden Moves

The mossy stone collided with his shoulder once more as Link was knocked to the ground. His muscles were beginning to ache more so than usual. It seemed Ikanan soldiers trained in sparring halls and courtyards of stone. Nothing was smoothed as the surfaces were rough, almost jagged at times, and allowed nature to have its way with its surface. A very unforgiving surface to practise on as the slightest mistake was met with pain as you hit the rock. Still he picked himself up again to face his tutor.

Eldin was as physically imposing as Ganondorf, covered in red and gold plate armour that only added to his fearsome presence. His fiery eyes reflected a soul that had seen nothing but war. Scars from the claws of a terrifying beast twisted his features. He had informed Link that they were caused by a Gomess therianthrope, a shape shifter and a very powerful one at that. She apparently twisted into the form of a dragon to attack him. That tale brought Link's thoughts back to the strange trio he met in the Great Bay. Was it possible that Sable was the same person who attacked Eldin? Surely not, she seemed so much younger than him.

With sword in hand, Link advanced once more, dodging Eldin's first sweep of his long sword only to be brutally kicked in the chest. He fell the ground once more, this time gasping for breath. The clatter of armour proceeded Eldin as the Ikanan looked down upon him. He shook his head slightly "You're not adapting, you keep fighting like you can see with both eyes." Offering a hand to Link "You have a lot of skill, but if you're going to become a swordsman again, you're going to need to refine it to the point where your sword and your shield are merely extensions of your body."

Link was pulled to his feet, he wheezed "The final stage of mastery…"

"You also can't expect your opponents to play fair so you need to learn how to throw a punch or kick amidst the fray." Eldin eyed up his shield "That can also become a powerful weapon in the right hands."

"I've been training for years, only getting better… why is it so hard now?"

"Because before you could manage by being relatively good at swordplay, now you have to be a master of it. I've seen all I need to and I know how to progress." Eldin nodded confidently "Your training will be complete when you have mastered the seven hidden moves of the Ikana."

Link paused momentarily "You… you'd really teach me secret knowledge from your kingdom?"

"If you are indeed the champion of the goddesses, you will need these skills to survive. It is considered a rite of passage among those chosen by the Golden Goddesses, Lanayru, Faron and I all mastered them when we became their envoys. Now it is your turn to do so."

"What are these moves anyway?"

"Ending blow, shield attack, back slice, helm splitter, mortal draw, jump strike and finally, the great spin. The question is, do you possess the power, wisdom and courage to wield them?"

He nodded back confidently, Link then raised his sword once more and launched into a charge. Eldin countered elegantly, his sword moving slightly to block Link's grand actions. The two kept sparring throughout the afternoon and late into the night.

* * *

A month passed in the blink of an eye, from dawn until dusk Link would train under Eldin's guidance. His resolve remained indomitable leading to exponential growth in his skill with a blade. In his quieter moments Link's mind would never stray from his concerns of Hyrule's fate. Although he was grateful to the Ikanans, he knew he would eventually have to leave much to Lanayru's concern. The priest was still adamant about his recovery often requesting that Eldin go easy on him during sparring sessions. Faron and Eldin on the other hand, seemed to be encouraging Link to leave by helping him as best they could. All of them could agree on one fact, that Link was indeed the champion of their goddesses, and as the former envoys of such deities they vowed to aid Link in his journey.

Strangely Link could find no information anywhere in the Ikana archives or any scholar that could tell him about this creature called Bellum. It was clear that Bellum had some tie to Termina as Skull Kid, Tatl, Tael and the Gomess woman knew exactly what it was. From a strategic point of view, Link knew he had to find out more of this Bellum before his return to Hyrule. Armed with such knowledge he knew the events of his previous encounter would not repeat.

So now he stood in the sparring courtyard once more, only this time it was possibly the last time. Today he would attempt to best Eldin in formal combat, the first to draw blood would be the winner. Faron and Lanayru remained on the sidelines to referee the spectacle. Silence teased the tension between the two combatants as they strode towards each other. The stillness of the courtyard echoed as their swords were unsheathed. The world slowed as the blades stretched out to cross over one another, a gesture to show respect among fighters and a signal the duel had begun.

Link immediately charged forward, on the offensive, he raised his sword. Eldin instinctively motioned to block it with his shield, only to realise it was a trick as Link instead followed through with a shield bash and caught him unaware. As he stepped back from the blunt impact, Link leapt high and readied his blade overhead in a mighty arc. Using his shield like a massive club, Eldin swatted him from the air before the helm splitter could be delivered. Link crashed to the ground and rolled to his side to avoid Eldin's follow through with a wild sword spin.

Eldin paused momentarily as Link vanished from his peripheral vision, sensing the technique about to be used, he leapt forward just to miss the twisting blade aimed at his exposed back. Link cursed under his breath, he was sure that back slice would create an opening. He was not given an opportunity to pause as he deflected a slash from Eldin. It was beyond him how such a giant weighed down in armour could be so agile. Every attack was met with a counter or a block, every advantage Link would muster was equally repelled. By now Link was beginning to revere the idea of experience, Eldin had lived through many wars and fought all kinds of foes. He had time on his side and the wisdom of learning from his actions. For the first time in many years, Link had found a swordsman that was at least his equal.

Very quickly, Link found himself on the defensive as he parried and blocked Eldin's attacks. He then considered his options and finally came down to a single strategy. By far the riskiest of the hidden skills he had been taught. Link jumped back and away from Eldin then proceeded to sheath his sword.

Faron's ears twitched at the sound "What are you doing!? Are you surrendering?"

Lanayru added with relief "Perhaps you've finally come to your senses?"

Eldin's eyebrow cocked as a smirk crossed his face. He readied his sword and charged towards the seemingly defenceless Link.

Link stood his ground and did not falter as he watched his opponent race forward. When he was sure of the timing, Link drew his blade with wicked precision and speed. Eldin paused as he felt the blade rest against his exposed neck. The metal slightly bit into his skin and tore to reveal drops of crimson. He stepped back with a look of surprise on his face then bowed to Link.

"You… you did it!?" Lanayru remarked, utterly flabbergasted.

Faron piped up "Did what? I didn't hear anything other than a sword being drawn and someone charging, what's happening?"

"It would seem Link's training is at an end," Eldin clapped him on the shoulder "Well done, proceed through the trials of the goddesses with confidence. You now have the skill to face any challenge."

Lanayru muttered to himself, still in a state of shock from the spectacle he had witnessed "He mastered them all in a month… I didn't think it was humanly possible. Even Eldin didn't master them that quickly."

Eldin quietly corrected "I only took two months, Lanayru."

The priest smiled to himself as he mused "I wonder what the goddesses have in store for you."

"Yeah! We should celebrate tonight, you can head off tomorrow." Faron laughed, flailing his arms with excitement.

"Watch it," Lanayru screeched as he dodged his friend's arm. He let out a sigh "Looks like we can't keep you here after all… fine, we'll help you gather supplies and you can leave on the morrow."

"Thankyou, I… I don't think you three realise just how much you've helped me." Link smiled "I realise now that I would be dead if I wandered off after awakening." He sheathed his sword and bowed "So thankyou for all you've done. It seems Din, Nayru and Farore were not wrong in choosing you as their envoys."

* * *

At first light, Link had gathered his possessions and headed to the cliff face of the kingdom. Alongside Eldin and Lanayru, he his descent down the wooden elevator system to the floor of the valley. A small boat was tied to the nearby pier, the current of the river flowing strongly as it cascaded to the south. Lanayru remained on the jetty as Eldin helped him into the boat and secure his few possessions so they would not be lost amidst the rapids.

"This should lead you directly into the main river of the swamp." Lanayru gestured to the waters "You will emerge near the Tourist Hut at the edges, the Woods of Mystery is only a short walk to the east of there."

Eldin added "That scrying stone Faron gave you will only resonate with the magic within that forest. It is powerless in the swamp."

Link held the strange pendant given to him by Faron amidst the revelry last night. A black onyx gemstone carved into a point that hung on silver chain, beneath his fingers he could feel an elaborate pattern carved into its surface. Yet when you gazed upon it, no such details could be seen. The blackness of the stone seemed to speak to an abyss, far beyond the reach of mere mortals.

"I know I keep saying it, but really, thankyou, you've all saved my life. But I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you." Link bowed to them from the boat.

Eldin bowed to him "Have a safe journey. As much as I hate to admit it, but those deities in the forest may be your only lead for now."

Lanayru waved his hand to trace the shape of a Triforce in the air "Farewell champion, and may the divinity of the golden goddesses protect you."

The rope holding the boat to the jetty was cut, hurtling the small vessel down the rapids and safely between the impossibly high cliffs of the valley. A smirk crossed Link's face as his journey continued onwards. He hoped it would not be long until he was back in Hyrule.

The cliffs filtered out abruptly as the wild overgrowth engulfed stone. Vines writhed and twisted through the rocks eventually leading back to trees that blotted out the sky. The water turned from crystal clear to opaque as the muddied banks crept around the river with curiosity. Giant trees remained stoic amidst the bright and peculiar flora that adorned the verdant hues. Fleshy petals lined with fangs accompanied by a sickly sweet aroma revealed their malicious agenda as they awaited their prey to foolishly come to them.

Overlooking the southern wilderness was a tall mountain shimmering with purple and pink light. The hollowed out volcano was the reason behind the emergence of the Southern Swamps. Water spewed forth from the earth, flooding the land all year round. The ancient ash acted as the perfect fertiliser to stimulate the flora into giant proportions. Link knew from his previous journey this mountain was known as Woodfall and also concealed a sacred temple of the Deku race. The boat ran up against a muddy bank, to the distance Link could see a familiar house on stilts with a jetty beneath it.

Given the direction of the tourist hut and the position of Woodfall, he could accurately chart his course over the few paths of dry land above the water level. He trekked on, alone in the early morning light as the plants slowly stirred to life beneath the sun's radiance. The glade that greeted him was the last landmark before the Woods of Mystery. In the centre of it was a giant tree holding a small tree house in the shape of a red potion bottle. On various platforms along the trunk and on the swampy ground were giant vats that reeked of mysterious scents.

Entering the Woods of Mystery was akin to falling into a whole new world. The air was heavy with ether and the plants felt more alive and looked like that had grown in ancient era. Link could feel the spirits of nature running freely. A slight breeze passing his shoulder or a shiver from invisible eyes watching him, the same feelings he had sensed on his many travels through the Lost Woods. He paused as he felt a warmth against his chest, fishing the scrying stone from beneath his tunic revealed the patterns he felt were indeed real. They shimmered with red and blue light to create a crest of Majora's Mask amidst clean formations of strange runes. The stone then twirled, dancing upwards to gesture in a direction. Link nodded to himself, entrusting his life to the whim of an enchanted relic as he went forth, deeper into the forest.


	9. Suspicious intentions

In the secret grove that was neither here or there, they waited. The shard of the Twilight Realm that had been thrust into the earth millennia ago took pride of place among the trees. The large monolith glowed with other worldly energies and was the catalyst that created the Woods of Mystery. Although it was never clear as to how or why this stone woven with crimson and azure light was brought to Termina. It still served a purpose to the deities who had taken up residence in this mortal coil. As the world of light could not allow them to maintain their true forms, they had to disguise themselves in mortal forms. Only when near the monolith could they temporarily return to their true divine states.

Knelt before the monolith was one such creature, she appeared to be of Gerudo descent with dark skin and elegantly pointed features. However that was where the similarities ended. Draped in black robes etched with patterns of arcane, her hair was split between two cascading manes of fire and ice. She slowed her breathing and meditated in the calm morning light. The sound of sticks snapping underfoot triggered her to open her eyes. She turned around to see a young man with a Gomess scrying stone in hand.

Link was bewildered by the sight of the monolith, never before had he even seen such a thing in all his travels. More perplexing was why Twinrova was now standing before it, only it was not the same Gerudo witch he fought in the Spirit Temple. The air around her was electric with unimaginable arcane energy. Her eyes simultaneously flickered with the intensity of an inferno and the wrath of a blizzard. Even her robes and hair floated weightlessly, like she was caught underwater.

Her voice was strong and mocking "What's the matter kid? Never seen a higher arcane deity before? Besides, I think you're looking for someone else."

"You're Twinrova? But… how are you…" Link shook his head in disbelief.

"I've heard of those childish Golden Goddesses placing crude pantomimes of wild deities in their sacred world. Perhaps you've encountered my copy?"

Link nodded "The Twinrova I know of is insane and cruel… she also didn't seem as powerful as you are." He shivered, unable to approach her as she emanated an aura of extreme heat and cold.

"So…" Twinrova waved a finger at him, the image of the Triforce appeared on his hand once more "Pathetic little puppet, what do you want?"

"Puppet? How am I puppet!?" Link stood tall and proud "I am the Hero of Time, it is my duty to protect Hyrule from evil an-"

"Be quiet, this is exactly the kind of mindless dribble expected of the followers of those Goddesses, if you can really call them that. You have no imagination, no ability to think for yourself, you just wait around for some divine sign to tell you what to do. You act like a good little puppet, always in wait until the master pulls your strings." She laughed wickedly as he scowled back at her "Some hero you are." Twinrova then paused as she eyed him up, her eyebrow cocked as she stroked her jawline "But… there is something curious about you. I can see it in your eyes. No wonder you caught her attention all those years ago."

Before Link could inquire, he felt his body break into a cold sweat as Twinrova was before him in an instance. She knelt down to look him in the eyes "Maybe there is hope for you, little puppet, you did save Termina all those years ago from the Man-Eater and Majora's Wrath."

He stunned that she could recognise him "It… It was the right thing to do."

"You don't even realise that you directly shunned the will of your goddesses by doing so, they despise Termina. Their arrogance and your actions have released Bellum into Hyrule."

Link took a step back, nearly throwing his arms in the air as he exclaimed "How do you know all this!?"

She casually shrugged "Word travels fast in the Twilight Realm, I'm immortal so I know a lot things and I'm friends with the minion of a primal deity."

He calmed himself with a deep breath, his mind returning to a more logical line of thought "Who are the primal deities anyway? I've never heard of them in Hyrule."

"The main ones are the Giants, the Man-Eater or you would know it as the spirit in Majora's Mask, the Oni or the Fierce Deity, the Golden Goddesses, the Dark Dragon, the Demon King, the Wanderer and the Soul Stealer. Of course they all have different names to mortals."

"Do you know of any deity called Bellum at all? I've seen it in Hyrule, looks like a giant squid with golden eyes… it's also why I must return there as soon as possible."

"Bellum? Haven't heard that one in ages," Twinrova laughed "I think you'll find he's called the Soul Stealer. Really tricky one, he feeds on spiritual energies and preys on mortals like a master strategist. However he's not as good as the Man-Eater, she's the real master of manipulation as you saw during the Moonfall of Termina. I guess you could call him a harvester of souls, he doesn't really stand for anything like the other deities, which makes him quite dangerous."

"Great," Link remarked sarcastically as he raked his brain "How do I fight a primal deity?"

"Worry about that later, I'd be more concerned about Bellum's curse of enfeeblement you've got writhing all over you. Lanayru's frail little blessings can't protect you now."

"WHAT!?" He instinctively looked all over his body for some visible trace of the wicked magic.

"Tricky little curse that one, great for adventurous warrior types like you. Basically any injury you inflict on your opponent is also inflicted on you, oh, and the injury you get is usually close to a fatal blow." A laugh escaped her as she looked at the foolish Hylian trying to process everything she had said. It was almost like he had no idea how it all worked. "Yeah, you're going to need to talk to the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm. She's the only one that can help you now and maybe help you find a way into Hyrule again." She smiled as his mood seemed to brighten "Go see your old friend Skull Kid, he knows her. He's also beside himself with worry after you went missing and then wound up among the Ikana. Knowing what he's like he's probably playing that damned trumpet in the fields outside the Southern Swamp." A sly smirk crossed her lips "And stop being so high and mighty. Next time, the person you're speaking to may not be as… civil as I."

"Very well… thankyou, I guess?" Link took a few steps back, wanting to put as much space as possible between him and Twinrova. His wary eyes never left her "I'll be on my way now."

"Have a safe trip." Twinrova laughed to herself as she heard him crash to the ground. A few curses were muttered as he picked himself up and wandered off into the forest.

With the sun rising over the horizon, Skull Kid reluctantly put out his small lantern. A strangely designed contraption made of stone that felt light enough to carry in one hand. Runic crests adorned it and were the source of the cool, blue flame it housed when he wanted it. The lantern had been a gift from Sable a few years back. An ancient artefact she had rebuilt from shards of Fused Shadows in the Stone Towers. Even now he still felt a little embarrassed to have such a rare treasure in his possession. Yet it served him well all these years, at night no monsters dared to strike him as the lantern warded them off with its ghostly light. But he learnt the hard way to never light it near Romani Ranch unless he wanted to be used as target practice by Romani.

Another night passed by him sitting the fields and playing his little songs to bury his dismay. He hoped Link was still alive, all of this was his fault. Perhaps if he had hurried he may had been able to explain the situation more so that Link would not have fallen from the shadow warp. He buried his face in his hands as he sighed loudly to himself.

Tael perched on Skull Kid's broad rim hat "Are you sure you don't want to try going to Ikana? Maybe we can ask them what's going on."

"Are you nuts!?" Tatl remarked "Last time we went there they tried to kill us! They're not reasonable people."

Skull Kid corrected "Well… that's kinda fair because of what Majora's Mask made me do."

Tatl added "But I still don't think waiting around is going to help, it's been months since Link was dropped off there."

"He must have really been hurt." Tael nervously commented.

"To be honest I'm more interested in that blue fairy he was with at the temple." Tatl piped up, circling in the air overhead "I mean, she willingly led him into a trap with a primal deity. A very evil one too! Isn't that a little suspicious?"

"Maybe that fairy didn't know any better? I mean, isn't Hyrule supposed to be barred off from wild deities? So how could she know?"

Skull Kid remained silent as the two fairies teased out their observations. He preoccupied himself with looking at his trumpet. The design was based on Deku Pipes only modified to be more compact and with a trumpet mouthpiece so people with actual mouths could play it. The fairies were in the swing of an argument as they ascended higher and higher. All Skull Kid could hear were garbled cursing overhead. He glanced over to the horizon as he attempted to recall the general direction of Veran's caravan and where they had stopped for the night.

"Skull Kid!"

He immediately span on the heels of his feet, his eyes widened with disbelief. Instinctively he sprinted towards the green clad swordsman who had emerged from the roads leading to the swamps.

Link suddenly regretted calling out at the sight of his friend. He found himself falling flat on his back as Skull Kid crash tackled him into a hug. The straw faced entity chattered "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean for you to fall out of the vortex! I'm just glad you're okay now and-"

"Calm down," Link pried him off as he stood up and dusted himself off "I still owe you from what happened in the Forest Temple."

"But…" Skull Kid pointed to the leather eye patch on Link's face "You're blind now!?"

"I'm still adjusting to it, but it's better than being dead… how did you know about Bellum anyway and how did you get into Hyrule!?"

"Getting to Hyrule, you'll need to ask Veran. As for Bellum, the monolith told me."

"A monolith?"

"Yeah, it's a big onyx thing in the Woods of Mystery. It glowed gold instead of blue and red. When I asked Koume and Kotake about it, they said that Bellum had finally broken free of the shackles that had bound him." Skull Kid lowered his head "He was only free because of what Majora's Mask did, his banishment was linked to the powers of the Giants so… when all that happened… they kinda… broke."

Link knelt down to his level "Skull Kid, you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened. Majora's Mask had possessed you."

"But I let it possess me. I've been studying its origins for years now… I've accepted it as part of my past, but it still… it still hurts some times." He shook his head, smiling back at Link "So how have you been for all these years? Did you find your friend?"

"Yeah, I found Navi only recently. I saw all kinds of places along the way too. I'm sorry I never made it back to Termina, to be honest I don't really know how you come here in the first place."

Skull Kid circled the point of his shoe in the dirt as he sheepishly admitted "There is a reason for that."

"LINK!" screamed a cheerful voice followed by a golden fairy crashing into Link's head.

He straightened up again, waving the fairy away from his face "Good to see you again, Tatl… I think."

Tael piped up as he remained near Skull Kid "Wow! You really came back!"

Tatl fumed "Bit late though, how many years has it been!?"

"What happened to your eye!? Did the Ikanans do that!?"

"No, it's fine, I just can't see out of it anymore." Link gently asked "We can talk more as we walk, but right now I need help with dispelling a curse." He glanced over at Skull Kid "Apparently you know where I can find the Great Fairy of the Twilight Realm."

Tael circled around him curiously "What kind of curse?"

"I think it was a curse of enfeeblement."

"Those are nasty! Keep in mind I don't think anyone has ever seen it in action before, but it does show up in bedtime stories."

"Lucky it's spring at the moment," Tatl added "All the monsters are nesting or caring for their young so it's safe to travel the roads. If you had to fight, well… there's no telling what could happen but it wouldn't be good."

Skull Kid whistled to get their attention, he laughed as he skipped away from them "Come on, let's catch up with the others. They'll know what to do."

6


End file.
